Three amazing restaurants to try near Thorpe Park, picked by our General Manager

With two years’ experience sampling the dishes around Thorpe Park, Andy’s definitely the man to ask about the best restaurants in the area.
I caught up with him last week and thought it’d be good to share his favourites with you on the blog.

“One’s right on the doorstep of the park, with outside seating to take dogs, one’s overlooking the sea; and another is a Certified Sustainable Seafood supplier.”~ Andy Such, General Manager at Thorpe Park

The Captain’s Table

The owner of The Captain’s Table, John Hancock, is a former skipper who after 30 years decided to open up his own seafood restaurant. With beautiful views out over the river, you couldn’t get a more authentic spot for a seafood restaurant.

After having heard Andy rave about this seafood paradise , I phoned the manager, Natalie Gollings, and she told me the reason behind The Captain’s Table’s success…

Everybody genuinely enjoys making a special occasion really special at The Captain’s Table. They enjoy the thrill of a last minute request – and even work their menu this way, according to Gary the Second Chef, based on adapting specials to whatever fish they get in on that day.

“People have asked for lobster, and we got it in the next day. We get all different kinds of fish with our links to the docks – so if a customer asks for something, we’ll do what we can to get it in for them.”
~ Natalie, Manager of The Captain’s Table

Natalie’s personal favourite is Norwegian crisp batter haddock or cod with seasoned chips, mushy peas and tartar sauce accompanied with glorious river views, I can see why it is her favourite!

If you want a whole range of seafood flavours to share then the Seafood Medley between two or more is perfect as it comes with a little bit of everything.Lovingly picked by Mike, this dish is ever-changing and will satisfying the most seasoned of seafood lovers

Thorpe Park’s Andy said his personal favourite was the pan fried roast chicken with herb risotto, prosciutto green beans and red wine reduction, £13.95 – perfect for those who fancy something other than fish.

If you feel like splashing out, the pan fried skate wing with beurre noissete, creamed pea potato and gherkin, lemon, and apricot chutney sounds absolutely divine especially for£14.95 – and why not treat yourselfwith a side order of seasoned chips!

My love of pudding knows no bounds , so when I heard about the dark chocolate truffle cheesecake with sweet berry coulis and vanilla ice cream, I knew that would be the perfect way to top off a delicious meal.

If you want to pick out your own favourites, here’s the menu for you to take a look at. To see what the food looks like, there are even more great pics on the Captain’s Table Facebook page – and the reviews there say it all, this is a real gem. And all the staff are massively passionate about the food, which means you can ask them anything and everything about your meal..

To top it off, dogs are welcome in the outside seating area – making it the perfect place to enjoy a drink after a short walk.

The Riverside Bar and Restaurant

Andy promised I’d like the look of this place, and with an upstairs section overlooking the river he wasn’t wrong.

My other favourite parts:

Spanish meatballs (£4.00), chicken with chilli and goat’s cheese (£4.00) and seafood paella (£4.10) – all from the tapas menu. (But check out the Riverside menu for everything on offer, including main dishes if you don’t feel like tapas).